Common use of Partnership Working Clause in Contracts

Partnership Working. 6.1. To support the development of their relationship, the Department and HEE have agreed to a set of shared principles:  Working together for patients, people who use services and the public, demonstrating our commitment to the values of the NHS set out in its Constitution.  Respect for the importance of autonomy throughout the system, and the freedom of individual organisations to exercise their functions in the way they consider most appropriate.  Recognition that the Secretary of State is ultimately accountable to Parliament and the public for the system overall. HEE will support the Department in the discharge of its accountability duties, and the Department will support HEE in the same way.  Working together openly and positively. This will include working constructively and collaboratively with other organisations within and beyond the health and social care system. 6.2. The Department and HEE will work together, and with the Department’s other arm’s length bodies, in the interests of patients, people who use services and the public to maximise the health and wellbeing gain for the population, working to the values set out in the NHS Constitution. To support this, HEE and the Department will follow an ‘open book’ approach. In the case of issues with an impact on the development or implementation of policy, the Department can expect to be kept informed by HEE. In the same way, the Department will seek to keep HEE apprised of developments in policy and Government. There are likely to be some issues where the Department or HEE will expect to be consulted by the other before the Department or HEE makes either a decision or a public statement on a matter. The Department and HEE will make clear which issues fall into this category in good time. The sponsor team will be responsible for ensuring that this works effectively. 6.3. To support the Secretary of State and the Principal Accounting Officer in their accountability functions, HEE must provide the Secretary of State with such information relating to the exercise of its functions as he or she may request. It is therefore expected that the Department will, when required, have full access to HEE’s files and information. If necessary, the Senior Departmental Sponsor’s team will be responsible for prioritising these requests for information. 6.4. The Department and its ALBs share responsibility for accounting to the public and to Parliament for policies, decisions and activities across the health and care sector. Accountability to Parliament will often be demonstrated through parliamentary questions, MPs' letters and appearances before parliamentary committees. Accountability to the public may be through the publication of information on HEE's website, as well as through responses to letters from the public and responses to requests under the Freedom of Information Act. 6.5. The Department and its Ministers remain responsible to Parliament for the system overall, so will often have to take the lead in demonstrating this accountability. Where this is the case, HEE will support the Department by, amongst other things, providing information for Ministers to enable them to account to Parliament. In its turn, the Department provides leadership to the system for corporate governance, including setting standards for performance in accountability. 6.6. HEE, however, has its own responsibilities in accounting to the public and to Parliament, and its way of handling these responsibilities has been agreed with the Department. In all matters of public and parliamentary accountability the Department and its ALBs will work together considerately, cooperatively and collaboratively, and any information provided by HEE is to be timely, accurate and, where appropriate, consistent with information provided by the Department. To facilitate this, the Department and HEE have agreed a public and parliamentary accountability protocol that sets out how they will work together to secure the confidence of the public and Parliament, and to maintain the service levels that MPs and the public have come to expect.

Partnership Working. 6.1. 6.1 To support the development of their this relationship, the Department and HEE the HRA have agreed to a set of shared principles:  • Working together for patients, people who use services and the public, demonstrating our commitment to the values of the NHS set out in its Constitution.  ; • Respect for the importance of autonomy throughout the system, system and the freedom of individual organisations to exercise their functions in the way they consider most appropriate.  ; • Recognition that the Secretary of State is ultimately accountable to Parliament and the public for the system overall. HEE The HRA will support the Department in the discharge of its accountability duties, duties and the Department will support HEE HRA in the same way.  ; and • Working together openly and positively. This will include includes working constructively and collaboratively with other organisations within and beyond the health and social care system. 6.2. 6.2 The Department and HEE will HRA work together, and with the Department’s other arm’s length bodies, in the interests of patients, people who use services and the public to maximise the health and wellbeing gain for the population, working to the values set out in the NHS Constitution. To support this, HEE HRA and the Department will follow an ‘open book’ approach. In the case of issues with an impact on the development or implementation of policy, the Department can expect to be kept informed by HEEHRA. In the same way, the Department will seek to keep HEE apprised HRA appraised of developments in policy and Government. There are likely to be some issues where the Department or HEE HRA will expect to be consulted by the other before the Department or HEE HRA makes either a decision or a public statement on a matter. The Department and HEE HRA will make clear which issues fall into this category in good time. The sponsor team will be responsible for ensuring that this works effectively. 6.3. 6.3 To support the Secretary of State and the Principal Accounting Officer in their accountability functions, HEE must provide the Secretary of State with has the power to direct HRA to disclose to him or her, such information relating to the exercise of its functions as he or she may requestfeels necessary to fulfil their duties with respect to the health system. It is therefore expected that the Department will, when required, have full access to HEEHRA’s files and information. If necessary, the Senior Departmental SponsorSDS’s team will be responsible for prioritising these requests for information. 6.46.4 The HRA will maintain an Incident Response Plan that establishes the framework for response to a major incident or emergency situation. The HRA is neither a Category 1 nor Category 2 Responder (as defined in the Civil Contingencies Act) so will not be called upon to participate in local or national responses. Nevertheless, HRA premises or staff could be involved in a major incident or emergency so the organisation must be prepared to react accordingly to safeguard its staff and protect its business interests. Further, a major incident or emergency for the HRA could include significant disruption to staff, premises or critical business systems so it must plan to respond accordingly. An important and related part of the incident response planning process will be Business Continuity Plans to mitigate the risks associated with loss of resources (including staff) and critical systems. 6.5 The Department and its ALBs share responsibility for accounting to the public and to Parliament for policies, decisions and activities across the health and care sector. Accountability to Parliament will often be demonstrated through parliamentary questions, MPs' letters and appearances before parliamentary committees. Accountability to the public may be through the publication of information on HEE's HRA’s website, as well as through responses to letters from the public and responses to requests under the Freedom of Information Act. 6.5. 6.6 The Department and its Ministers ministers remain responsible to Parliament for the system overall, so will often have to take the lead in demonstrating this accountability. Where this is the case, HEE HRA will support the Department by, amongst other things, providing information for Ministers ministers to enable them to account to Parliament. In its turn, the Department provides will provide leadership to the system for corporate governance, including setting standards for performance in accountability. 6.6. HEE6.7 HRA will, however, has have its own responsibilities in accounting to the public and to Parliament, and its way of handling these responsibilities has been will be agreed with the Department. In all matters of public and parliamentary accountability the Department and its ALBs will work together considerately, cooperatively and collaboratively, and any information provided by HEE is to HRA will be timely, accurate and, where appropriate, consistent with information provided by the Department. To facilitate this, the Department and HEE HRA have agreed a public and parliamentary accountability protocol that sets out how they will work together to secure the confidence of the public and Parliament, and to maintain the service levels that MPs and the public have come to expect.

Partnership Working. 6.1. The HSIB and the Department agree that their relationship will be characterised by openness, transparency and a mutual respect and support for the independent delivery of the functions of each organisation. 6.2. To support the development of their this relationship, the Department of Health and HEE Social Care and the HSIB have agreed to a set of shared principles:  Working • working together with each other, and with the Department’s other ALBs, for patients, people who use services and the public, demonstrating our commitment to the values of the NHS set out in its Constitution.  Respect ; • respect for the importance independent operation of autonomy throughout the systemeach organisation, and the freedom of individual organisations to exercise their functions in the way they consider most appropriate.  Recognition ; • recognition that the Secretary of State is ultimately accountable to Parliament and the public for the system overall. HEE will support The HSIB supports the Department in the discharge of its accountability duties, and the Department will support HEE supports the HSIB in the same way.  Working ; and • working together openly and positively. This will include working constructively and collaboratively with other organisations within and beyond the health and social care system. 6.26.3. To facilitate this agreed way of working, the HSIB and DHSC undertake to agree a communications protocol and to inform one another, in a timely fashion, of any work programmes, publications or media interest which is likely to be of relevance to the delivery of the other’s functions. The Department and HEE HSIB will work together, and with the Department’s other arm’s length bodies, in the interests of patients, people who use services and the public to maximise the health and wellbeing gain for the population, working to the values set out in the NHS Constitution. To support this, HEE and keep the Department will follow an ‘open book’ approach. In the case informed of any issues with an impact on the development or implementation of policy, the Department can expect to be kept informed by HEErelevant policy and legislation. In the same wayLikewise, the Department will seek to keep HEE the HSIB apprised of developments in policy policy, legislation and Government. There are likely to be some issues where the Department or HEE will expect to be consulted by the other before the Department or HEE makes either a decision or a public statement on a matterGovernment that affect its work, wherever appropriate. The Department and HEE the HSIB will make clear which issues fall into this category in good time. The Department’s sponsor team will be and the HSIB are responsible for ensuring that this works effectively. 6.36.4. To support In doing so, both organisations recognise the Secretary importance of State the autonomy and independent operation of each organisation, and undertake not to exert undue influence on the Principal Accounting Officer way in their accountability which these functions are carried out. 6.5. In discharging its functions, HEE must provide the Secretary of State HSIB also undertakes to work co-operatively and collaboratively with such information relating to the exercise of its functions as he or she may request. It is therefore expected that the Department will, when required, have full access to HEE’s files other local and information. If necessary, the Senior Departmental Sponsor’s team will be national bodies responsible for prioritising these requests for information. 6.4. The Department and its ALBs share responsibility for accounting to the public and to Parliament for policies, decisions and activities across the health and care sectorsystem in England, insofar as such cooperation does not compromise the exercise of HSIB’s functions as set out in the 2016 Directions. Accountability This includes collaborative work to Parliament will often be demonstrated through parliamentary questions, MPs' letters address national recommendations for health and appearances before parliamentary committees. Accountability to the public may be through the publication of information on HEE's website, as well as through responses to letters from the public and responses to requests under the Freedom of Information Act. 6.5. The Department and its Ministers remain responsible to Parliament for the care system overall, so will often have to take the lead in demonstrating this accountability. Where this is the case, HEE will support the Department by, amongst other things, providing information for Ministers to enable them to account to Parliament. In its turn, the Department provides leadership to the system for corporate governance, including setting standards for performance in accountabilitybodies. 6.6. HEEHSIB also undertakes to agree protocols with bodies with whom it regularly interacts in carrying out its functions and duties, howeversetting out agreed ways of working. Such bodies may include, has its own responsibilities in accounting to the public and to Parliamentbut are not limited to, and its way arms length bodies of handling these responsibilities has been agreed with the Department. In all matters of public and parliamentary accountability the Department and its ALBs will work together considerately, cooperatively and collaboratively, and any information provided by HEE is to be timely, accurate and, where appropriate, consistent with information provided by the Department. To facilitate this, the Department and HEE have agreed a public and parliamentary accountability protocol that sets out how they will work together to secure the confidence of the public and Parliament, and to maintain the service levels that MPs professional healthcare regulators and the public have come to expectpolice.

Partnership Working. 6.1. To support the development of their relationship, the Department and HEE have agreed to a set of shared principles:  Working together for patients, people who use services and the public, demonstrating our commitment to the values of the NHS set out in its Constitution.  Respect for the importance of autonomy throughout the system, and the freedom of individual organisations to exercise their functions in the way they consider most appropriate.  Recognition that the Secretary of State is ultimately accountable to Parliament and the public for the system overall. HEE will support the Department in the discharge of its accountability duties, and the Department will support HEE in the same way.  Working together openly and positively. This will include working constructively and collaboratively with other organisations within and beyond the health and social care system. 6.2. The Department and HEE CQC will work together, and with the Department’s other arm’s length bodies, in the interests of patients, people who use services and the public to maximise the health and wellbeing gain for the population, working to the values set out in the NHS Constitution. To support this, HEE CQC and the Department will follow an ‘open book’ approach. In the case of issues with an impact on the development or implementation of policy, the Department can expect to be kept informed by HEECQC. In the same way, the Department will seek to keep HEE CQC apprised of developments in policy and Government. There are likely to be some issues where the Department or HEE CQC will expect to be consulted by the other before the Department or HEE CQC makes either a decision or a public statement on a matter. The Department and HEE CQC will make clear which issues fall into this category in good time. The sponsor team will be responsible for ensuring that this works effectively. 6.36.2. To support the Secretary of State and the Principal Accounting Officer in their accountability functions, HEE must provide the Secretary of State with has the power to direct CQC to disclose to him or her such information relating to the exercise of its functions as he or she may requestfeels necessary to fulfil their duties with respect to the health system. It is therefore expected that the Department will, when required, have full access to HEECQC’s files and information. If necessary, the Senior Departmental Sponsor’s team will be responsible for prioritising these requests for information. 6.3. To support the development of this relationship, the Department of Health and CQC have agreed to a set of shared principles: • Working together for patients, people who use services and the public, demonstrating our commitment to the values of the NHS set out in its Constitution. • Respect for the importance of autonomy throughout the system, and the freedom of individual organisations to exercise their functions in the way they consider most appropriate. • Recognition that the Secretary of State is ultimately accountable to Parliament and the public for the system overall. CQC will support the Department in the discharge of its accountability duties, and the Department will support CQC in the same way. • Working together openly and positively. This will include working constructively and collaboratively with other organisations within and beyond the health and social care system. 6.4. The Department and its ALBs share responsibility for accounting to the public and to Parliament for policies, decisions and activities across the health and care sector. Accountability to Parliament will often be demonstrated through parliamentary questions, MPs' letters and appearances before parliamentary committees. Accountability to the public may be through the publication of information on HEECQC's website, as well as through responses to letters from the public and responses to requests under the Freedom of Information Act. 6.5. The Department and its Ministers ministers remain responsible to Parliament for the health system overall, so will often have to take the lead in demonstrating this accountability. Where this is the case, HEE CQC will support the Department by, amongst other things, providing information for Ministers ministers to enable them to account to Parliament. In its turn, the Department provides will provide leadership to the system for corporate governance, including setting standards for performance in accountability. 6.6. HEECQC will, however, has have its own responsibilities in accounting to the public and to Parliament, and its way of handling these responsibilities has been will be agreed with the Department. In all matters of public and parliamentary accountability accountability, the Department and its ALBs will work together considerately, cooperatively and collaboratively, and any information provided by HEE is to CQC will be timely, accurate and, where appropriate, consistent with information provided by the Department. To facilitate this, the Department and HEE CQC have agreed a public and parliamentary accountability protocol that sets out how they will work together to secure the confidence of the public and Parliament, and to maintain the service levels that MPs and the public have come to expect. 6.7. Consistent with its own identity within CQC, Healthwatch England has agreed a public and parliamentary accountability protocol separately with its Departmental sponsors.